Zprávy památkové péče 2016, 76(6):603-609

Regulatory Plan for Litomyšl by Ladislav Machoň (1946-1948) - the collective vision of the New Town

Anna Šubrtová

The article presents the current state of knowledge of the regulatory plan of the town of Litomyšl that was developed between 1946 and 1948 by the Prague architect and urbanist Ladislav Machoň. The plan is characterized primarily by its three "non-traditional" aspects that reveal the architect's sensitive approach to urban planning. First is the "folk" method of collective vision of the future city, within which the architect, during the preparation, interviewed the local citizens on how they imagined the future growth of the city and encouraged them to contribute to the project's preparation. The second aspect is the architect's ability to work with the historical town on a small scale; respecting both the town's historical artistic character and individual heritage properties during the planning process so that the town's picturesque silhouette and its small-town layout with its characteristic architectural style are preserved in the future. The third is the natural protection aspect; during the project, Ladislav Machoň emphasized landscaping and care for the greenery not only in the existing urban "interior", but also in newly proposed block housing development zones in order to ensure a smooth transition of the urban landscape into the surrounding natural environment.

Keywords: Litomyšl; Ladislav Machoň; Augusta Machoňová-Müllerová; two-year plan; regulatory plan; urban planning; housing estate; heritage conservation

Published: December 1, 2016  Show citation